Tue, 11/17 Bulls @ Kings

And Noah, leading the NBA in rebounding, carried the Bulls home when it looked like still another failure to find a finisher.

The Bulls led 86-72 entering the fourth quarter, but went the first five minutes of the fourth quarter shooting one of seven with four turnovers to enable the Kings to draw within 88-81 with 6:54 left.

Whereupon it was a combination of superb team defense and Noah’s exquisite timing that held off the Kings.

The Kings had two chances to cut the deficit to five, but Noah blocked a short shot by Tyreke Evans. Kenny Thomas recovered the ball, but Luol Deng, who is continuing his solid play with 16 points and 10 rebounds, stripped Thomas and got a nice pass from Derrick Rose to make it 90-81 on a jumper.

Rose then blocked a short attempt by Sergio Rodriguez, and after a Thomas offensive, Kirk Hinrich missed. But Noah tipped the ball in for a 92-81 Bulls lead with 6:03 left.

[...]

“Derrick (Rose) and Kirk didn’t shoot the ball very well (three of 21), but the rest of the team did and that’s a good sign,” said Del Negro. “We are not going to be able to shoot the ball well every night (though the Bulls did shoot a season best 47 percent and seven of 12 threes). You have to find other ways to be successful. We are doing that on the defensive end, hustle plays, and rebounding and controlled tempo that way.”